3.75k reviews for:

The Hammer of Thor

Rick Riordan

4.23 AVERAGE


Deeper, though less amusing, than Riordan's other books, The Hammer of Thor was an enjoyable read. I wish Amir had joined them for a battle and seen how awesome Sam is with an ax and spear, and also that there had been a bit more closure with that issue at the end of the book.
adventurous funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

4.5/5 Stars

Thank goodness for Rick Riordan!!!! The Hammer of Thor arrived at the library just in time to get me out of my reading funk. I knew I could count on this book to make me laugh and of course I was not disappointed. Magnus is back to face the next threat to Ragnarok and even with more training, the higher stakes force him and his friends to scramble to thwart their foes.

Story wise this book is kind of all over place going from one mission to another in a heartbeat but who needs a consistent plot though when you've got characters like Magnus and co.? Magnus is still in way over his head, terrified of his responsibilities but trying his hardest nonetheless. Of course Heart and Blitz are there to support him but the two of them are also dealing with their own problems.

The children of Loki really are the stars of this series for me. Sam has so much going on with her duties at home, school, and the Valkyries yet she cares so deeply about her friends and of course Amir. I'm really glad he was included more in the story and focused on their betrothal. The best part though was the introduction of Alex Fierro, gender fluid shape-shifter who is intensely fierce with questionable loyalties.

Riordan always mixes the serious and humor exceptionally well and its on full display with this one. He tackles gender fluidity in such an open, honest way and I think it's brilliant representation for those reading. I also love how Samirah's religion is such a vital, present piece of her. Then there's the funny with gods' taking selfies, watching Netflix, and the sword Jack singing. I can always count on Riordan books for a laugh and a cry.

Overall I think I loved The Hammer of Thor even more than The Sword of Summer. With characters that are so concrete and highly developed and the clear focus on family difficulty, Riordan brings so much truth and heart to the page. As always I highly recommend anything by Rick, but this one truly shines. So please please please go pick it up!

Originally posted on Hopeful Reads

Riordan gets it every time and ouuuu the end! I'm so excited!!!! Although I still feel like a dork when I walk into the "13-15 year" section of the bookstore..
adventurous funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

4.5*

same old. same old. It's getting a tad bit boring, with the same characters' character (endless sass, sassy MCs, sassy gods, sassy swords, sassy goats . . .) I know that this is targeted for children, but I don't know, it is just predictable. Glad to see this is just a trilogy.
adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

If you have heard of the Percy Jackson books, this is another series along the same vein by the same author, just based on Norse mythology this time.  

Six weeks after the conclusion of the last book, Magnus has had time to explore his new afterlife surroundings.  Then a new hallmate shows up and Thor's hammer is still missing and for some reason it's Magnus' responsibility to get it back.

The characters in this series are great.  All have their own strong, unique personality and it's what makes this series so much fun to read.  As a hero, Magnus is a bit of a hot mess, but it's kind of entertaining to watch him still have his own valuable contribution outside of being crazy strong.  

I do like the Percy Jackson series better - it's less disjointed and the action is continuous, whereas in this series, there are times where the pace is very slow.  Even so, I still recommend you check this series out if you enjoyed the Percy Jackson books.

I'll go 8 of 10 overall and 4 of 5 for readability.  The pacing in this series isn't as good as it is in Percy Jackson, but the characters are more entertaining in this series (I love Hearthstone and Blitzen...and Otis!).  Give this series a try - but start with book 1!
adventurous challenging emotional funny sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes